From Here to Eternity_ The Restored Edit - Jones, James [81]
“Bloom was back while you was gone,” Andy said, looking up from his hand.
“Yeah?” Prew said, feeling very indifferent now. “What’d he want?”
“Lookin for somebody to borrow fifty cents from for taxifare to town,” Andy said sullenly, looking back down.
“Well? Did you loan it to him?”
“Why would I loan it to him?” Andy said indignantly. “You think I’d run out on you?” Then he looked up and saw Prew was kidding him, and his voice dropped back down. “We ony got eighty cents between us,” he muttered. “I loan him four bits, we wouldnt have enough to go to the show.”
“I thought maybe you loaned it to him,” Prew teased. “You’re the richest joe around here now, outside of Angelo.”
“Well I dint,” Andy said. “If thats what you think. And anytime you want your money back, just ask for it and I’ll give it to you.”
“Hell no,” Prew said happily. “Wont do me any good.”
“I s’pose you’re goin to town with Angelo,” Andy asked him, sulkily.
Prew turned to look at the hurt tone in his voice. “If he wins,” he said.
Andy looked at Sal significantly. “Thats what we figured.”
“You figured what?” Prew said, and walked down to them and stood in front of Andy. “If anybody did some figurin, it was you, I’ll bet, not Sal. Anything wrong with me goin with Angelo?”
“I guess not,” Andy shrugged elaborately. “Except a guy dont usually take off on his pals who’s broke.”
“You mean you think I ought to stay here and go to the show with you? because you cant go to town?”
“I dint say that,” Andy said defensively. “Bloom wanted me to go to town with him tonight.”
“Well go ahead,” Prew said serenely. “If thats whats eatin you. That wont hurt my feelins any. I dont care who you go to town with. Whats Friday goin to do?”
“He can go to the show by himself,” Andy said. “I’m ony takin four bits taxifare.”
“Man,” Prew said. “You’re a hot one.”
“I aint goin to the show,” Friday said happily. “I’m ona save at thirty cents and stay right here and teach myself how to deal these cards, by god.”
“Well,” Andy said, “thats up to you. You got the money. You can go if you want to.”
“What’re you guys goin to do in town?” Prew said. “If I may ask?”
“Just fool around.”
“You wont fool very far, takin only four bits taxifare. What’ll you do after you get there? How’ll you get back?”
“Well,” Andy said. “Bloom’s got a queer lined up out in Waikiki he thinks we can roll, a guy with quite a bit of dough.”
“I wouldnt go,” Prew said, “if I was you.”
Andy looked up indignantly. “Why not? Its easy for you to say. You’re goin down with Angelo.”
“Because Bloom’s lyin to you, thats why. How long you been in Wahoo? You oughta know by now that Honolulu queers dont get rolled. They never carry money with them. Its too small a place, and theres too many soljers. They’d get rolled every night.”
Andy would not look at him. “Bloom said if it didnt work out to roll him, we could get drinks off him anyway, and carfare home. Whats the difference?”
“He lied to you. Thats the difference. Why would he lie to you? He knows nobody can roll a Honolulu queer. Whynt he tell you the truth? I wouldnt trust no guy that lied to me. Maybe he’s pimpin for this queer. You’re liable to end up gettin made, instead of gettin blowed. Theres somethin about Bloom I dont like.”
“So I should leave him alone, I guess?” Andy said, angrily, not meeting Prew’s eyes. “There aint no queer goin to make me. Who the hell are you to tell me how to run my life? You’re goin to town with Maggio, aint you?”
“Okay,” Prew said. “Suit yourself, buddy.”
“He ast me to go,” Andy said. “I dint ask him. And I’m goin. A guy can rot sittin around this goddam barracks. Cant even play the git-tars with the rain on. Be mad at me if you want to, I’m goin anyway.”
“Hell,” Prew said. “I aint mad at you. I just think you’re dumb, thats all. If you want to pick up a queer, go by yourself.” He sat down on the end of the bench and picked up the deck that Andy had collected up and stacked, and began practi